While the quality and the size of air purifier filters are the factors of major importance, that directly affect the overall air filtration efficiency and air purification performance of air purifiers, the air purifier features primarily determine the flexibility and suitability of the air purifiers for specific operating conditions, as well as, affect the convenience and the comfort in operation.

The table below allows you to compare the air purifiers we offer by the most important and most common air purifier features, and help you select the air purifier that not only meets your air cleaning requirements, but also best suits your air purifier needs and the lifestyle.

Speed Settings Control

All air purifiers equipped with motor/fan assembly deliver the highest air flow, and the best air cleaning result when they are running on the highest speed setting. Unfortunately, in all air purifiers the highest speed setting is also the noisiest one.
In contrary, the lowest setting in any air purifier is also the quietest one. Therefore, selecting the speed setting you find a compromise between the quietest operation and the best air purification performance of the air purifier.
The higher number of speed settings gives users more flexibility in choosing the speed setting that is the most suitable for particular air conditions, the time of the day or a specific household environment.
While most air purifiers, such as AllerAir air purifiers, Austin Air purifiers, Sharp air purifier, etc., offer three main speed settings, AIRGLE air purifiers offer 5 Speed settings.AirPura air purifiers and Amaircare air purifiers employ the German made motor/fan assembly with the variable speed control. They offer virtually unlimited number of speed settings, and as a result, the highest flexibility in selecting the most appropriate speed setting for particular application or household conditions.

Space Saving Design

Space saving design in air purifiers is the design that allows the air purifier to operate while taking the minimal space out of the living area. There are few common types of space saving designs of the air purifiers:

Air purifier with completely closed back panel or the whole housing,

Tower design air purifiers,

Wall mounted air purifiers.

The air purifiers with completely closed back panel (box-like shapes) or closed all around housing (round shapes) can be placed closer to the wall (usually few inches away) or in the corner without providing a significant affect on air purifier performance. However, this design puts some restrictions on the design of the air purifier air filtration and clean air delivery systems, that may compromise the overall air purifier performance, and in some cases, result in a higher level of noise.

The tower design of the air purifiers requires the use of the elongated fan. This design provides a challenging requirements of providing a higher load on the motor bearings and a necessity of having a perfectly balanced motor/fan assembly. Otherwise, it may result in a significantly higher level of vibration and associated with it level of noise over the traditional air purifier design.

The wall mounted design of the air purifiers provides the challenging requirements of having a pretty thin and relatively lightweight air purifier. This design puts the limitations on the amount of filter media that can be used in the air purifiers. It also significantly affects the design of clean air delivery system. All this may compromise the overall air filtration efficiency of the air purifier, and the higher level of noise over the traditional air purifier design.

Electronic Filter Monitors

The filter monitors in the air purifiers offer a great deal of convenience while reminding the users to clean or replace one or another filter. Depending on the air purifier model, the filter monitors may alert the user through the indicator light, notification of the LCD display that may be also accompanied by the sound signal.
However, the absolute majority of filter monitors in air purifiers do not measure and display the actual level of filter's contamination. Such filter monitors, especially for activated carbon filter, are quite complicated, and id installed, could significantly increase the cost of the air purifier. To keep the air purifier's cost down, most of the electronic filter monitors are simply the timer-based devices. They are pre-programmed to turn on the alert signal based on the number of hours of operation in normal average household conditions, and at a particular speed setting.
No doubt, the air quality varies significantly from household to household, and even from room to room within the same household. This may compromise the accuracy of the electronic filter monitors.
For that reason, many air purifiers that use large, long lasting true HEPA and activated carbon filters, such as AirPura air purifiers, AllerAir air purifiers and others are not equipped with filters monitors at all.

To verify the condition of the filters in your air purifier and determine whether or not it's time to replace the filters, you may use the following simple technique.

For True HEPA Filters:

Place you palm against the clean air outlet. If you notice that the clean air flow (output) is severely suppressed even on High speed setting, and the air purifier makes and excessive noise, this should be considered as a right indication that True HEPA filter is completely clogged and has to be replaced.

For Activated Carbon Filters:

If you can smell unpleasant odors coming out of the unit, this is the right indication that the activated carbon filter is completely saturated and has to be replaced.

Please note! Do not run the unit with the contaminated carbon filter. The chemicals it may re-introduce into the air can be absorbed by the particles already trapped in True HEPA filter, located downstream the activated carbon filter. If so, True HEPA filter itself may become the source of air contamination and will require the replacement way before the expiration of the actual lifetime expectancy.

Automatic Operating Mode

The automatic operating mode, without doubts, is a very convenient air purifier feature, that allows users to set the air purifier to operate fully automatically. The air purifiers equipped with fully automatic mode, such as Sharp air purifiers and Airgle air purifier monitor the quality of the air in the room be measuring the concentration of airborne particles in the passing through air, using the photo sensitive device. Based on the concentration of particle in the air, the air purifier automatically switches to the higher speed setting when the air gets dirtier and goes back to lower speed setting when the quality of the air improves.
The most intelligent air purifiers on the market, such as Sharp air purifiers offer a choice of few automatic programs(!). The air purifier has the ability not only change the operating speed of the unit, but also changes the setting of Sharp Plasmacluster Ion device according to the current air quality.
In the most recent KCC series of Sharp air purifiers equipped with humidifier section, the air purifier also monitors the level of humidity in the room and adjusts the operating mode accordingly to maintain clean and most comfortable air conditions all year round.
On one hand the fully automatic operating mode increases the initial cost of the air purifier. However, on the other hand, it is also a money saving feature. It helps users to save on the electricity bill by operating the air purifier at the lowest speed setting sufficient to maintain the required air quality.

Ultra Violet Bulb

Exposure to the radiation from Ultra Violet (UV) bulb, Germicidal UV bulb particularly, is a highly effective method of destroying microorganisms. Multiple studies show that exposure to the Germicidal UV light is the fastest and the most effective way to sterilize the air from airborne pathogens: microbes, bacterial viruses, germs, etc. It is much faster and more effective way of air and water sterilization than other traditional methods such as, temperature or chemical treatment.
Germicidal UV bulb generates the UV light with specific wavelength of 253.4 nM (nano meter).
The sterilization power of the UV light with this wavelength is about 1,600 times of a direct daylight and, therefore, is extremely lethal to airborne pathogens: viruses, bacteria, microbes. It works by destroying the molecular bonds of micro-organismal DNA thymine, thus killing (deactivating) them quickly and effectively.
Among the important benefits of Germicidal UV bulb as an effective way of air sterilization is that, unlike the regular UV bulbs, it generates No Ozone(!)
UV bulb placed in the center of the air purifier filter compartment effectively deactivates all pathogens in the passing through air and kills the ones already trapped in the filters.
High output Germicidal UV bulbs are standard in the following air purifier models: AirPura UV600 air purifier, AirPura P600 air purifiers, and are optional in most other models of AirPura air purifiers and AllerAir air purifiers.

Photocatalytic Oxidation

Photocatalytic oxidation is the process that uses the latest discoveries in nano-technology, developed by space research laboratories, to deliver the most efficient and speedy airborne chemical abatement available today. Photocatalytic oxidation is the process of cleaning the air from variety of hard to remove specific chemicals using the UV light in conjunction with the metal catalyst. The photocatalytic oxidation works by instantly breaking the molecular bonds and transforming dangerous airborne chemicals to smaller safer compounds. The process repeats itself until only carbon dioxide and water vapor are left.
Photocatalytic oxidation offers the most effective and speedy abatement of previously hard to remove specific chemicals, including: halogenated organics, pesticides, formaldehyde, ammonia, carbon monoxide, radon, mercury vapor, PCBs, sulfur oxides, VOCs, etc.
Photocatalytic oxidation is now available in some models of AirPura air purifiers and AllerAir air purifiers.
TitanClean™ Titanium Dioxide Photo-Catalytic Oxidizer (standard in AirPura P600 air purifier) uses the special Patent pending design that allows maximize the exposure of chemical substances to the UV light without affecting the air flow.

Remote Control

Remote control is hardly considered by most air purifier users as one of the most important features of the air purifiers. However, undeniably, the full function remote control brings the high level of comfort and convenience in operation of the air purifiers.Sharp air purifiers and Airgle air purifiers employ the full function remote control, while most other air purifiers offered in this web site are not equipped with one.

Ion Generators

Conventional Negative Ion Generators.

The conventional ion generating devices used in older air purifiers, create the shower of negative ions by applying the high voltage to the needles placed in the air passing through the unit.
Negative ions distributed through the volume of air in the room, give away the charges to airborne particles floating in the air. The negatively charged particles stick to each other, forming the larger and heavier particle clusters. The clusters fall to the floor, settle to the table tops or other household items. They are also attracted to the neutrally charged walls, draperies, other household items. This way negative ions contribute into reduction of solid airborne particles in the air. However, those particles are not removed from the indoor air permanently, but rather temporarily become none airborne. If disturbed, they can become airborne again and add to the indoor air pollution.
Moreover, the conventional negative ion generators may create the hazardous air conditions, as they produce Ozone as a by-product. Ozone is a gas pollutants that can cause lung irritation, watering eyes, shortness of breath, etc.Important Notice!
None of the air purifiers we offer in this web site are equipped with conventional Ion generating devices, and none of the air purifiers offered in this web site produce any Ozone or toxic off-gassing.

Sharp Plasmacluster Ion

Sharp air purifiers along with conventional passive true HEPA and activated carbon air filtration system, employ the patent pending Sharp Plasmacluster Ion (PCI) active air purification technology.
PCI generates a balanced shower of positive and negative ions by splitting the molecules of water in the air. While doing so, the Plasmacluster Ion device Does Not Produce any Ozone(!), unlike the conventional Ionizers used in most other lower quality air purifiers.
The negative and positive ions have a property of forming the cluster around microscopic particles in the air, thus, surrounding harmful airborne substances such as, fungi, microbes, viruses, pollen, other allergens and deactivating them. This way, Sharp Air Purifiers are able to recreate the natural chemical process that purifies the air in the Earth's Atmosphere.
This advanced active air purification technology proved highly effective in removal from the air most airborne contaminants and pollutants, including viruses, bacteria, microbes, mold spores, germs, fungi, plant spores, pollen and other odor causing substances.
The experiments conducted by testing institute in Japan demonstrated that Plasmacluster Ion technology has the ability and power to reduce mold fungus by 90% in one hour. The other test results showed that 99.7% of the viruses exposed to the ions die within 40 minutes.

Off Timer

Some of the air purifiers equipped with electronic controls, such as Sharp air purifiers or Airgle air purifiers, have the Off Timer feature. It allows users to program the air purifier to turn off few hours later. Usually up to 8 or 16 hours. The number of hours and the increment varies from air purifier to air purifier model.
The Off timer provides users with additional convenience in a variety of household or office situation. It is also a money saving feature. It helps save on the electricity bill by turning off the air purifier after it's done the air cleaning job for the set number of hours.Please Note!
The air pollutants and air contaminants are constantly produced within the household or the office area. If not promptly removed from the air, the concentration of air pollutant and air contaminants can increase dramatically. To prevent the situation when the concentration of air pollutants and air contaminants in the indoor environment reaches the unhealthy levels, the allergists and clean air specialists recommend that the air purification device was operating most of the time. This is especially important for the households with individuals having respiratory problems, persons with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), or with new borne babies.

Display Lights Off

Some air purifiers such as Sharp air purifiers or Airgle air purifiers employ electronic controls with LCD display, LED indicator lights or a combination of both.
Designed to be visible during a daytime, they could provide the excessive illumination of the bedroom at night.
To help users operate the air purifier at night without creating the annoying light pollution, Sharp air purifiers are equipped with the manual Display/Lights turn On/Off button.Airgle air purifiers go even further, They are also equipped with the light sensor that (if selected) switches the unit into the Silent operating mode automatically and turns off the display lights when it gets dark in the room.

Wheel Casters

The most efficient air purifiers designed for superior chemical adsorption, employ large activated carbon canister with massive amount of activated carbon per unit (up to 35 lbs.). This contributes significantly into the total weight of the air purifier, that may reach 60 lbs. for models such as AirPura C600 air purifier or AllerAir 6000 DX air purifiers.
For the air purifiers of this caliber, the wheel casters become a very essential and important air purifier feature, that allows the units to be moved easily from room to room.
The wheel casters are standard in most models of AirPura air purifiers, AllerAir air purifiers, Austin Air purifiers and Amaircare air purifiers.
The units with significantly smaller activated carbon filters Sharp air purifiers or without the carbon filter at all are much lighter units. They do not require the wheel casters, and do not come with ones.

Air Purifier Colors

Most air purifiers that employ plastic housing (Sharp air purifiers, Airgle air purifiers) usually offer just one choice of color options. The air purifiers that employ the all metal housing such as: AirPura air purifiers, AllerAir air purifiers, Austin Air purifiers employ durable baked on powder coating that is available in a choice of few standard and designer colors to blend nicely into decor of your home or office.
The appliance finish coating resists scratching, scuffing. It doesn't generate or store the static electricity. It is easy to clean, and will retain the same attractive appearance for years to come.

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